2006 - The University of Joensuu and the University of Kuopio decided to intensify their mutual cooperation as part of the Ministry of Education program addressing the structural development of Finnish higher education institutions.

The project formed a working group led by Professor Reijo Vihko.

[3] 2007 - Professor Reijo Vihko's working group submitted a report proposing that cooperation between the two universities be further intensified.

[3] 2009 - The first joint student admissions to the University of Eastern Finland were carried out in Economics and Business Administration and in Social Sciences in 2009.

[3] 2020 - In 2020, the University of Eastern Finland was granted the educational responsibility in logopedics (speech therapy)[6] and in 2022 in engineering.

[7] The University of Eastern Finland has two campuses, one in Joensuu and the other in Kuopio, which are approximately 130 kilometres (80 mi) apart.

In 2019, the board led by Lea Ryynänen-Karjalainen appointed Jukka Mönkkönen unanimously as rector for a second five-year term, starting in 2020.

The board was composed of 10 members: Jaakko Kiander (Vice Chair), Jari Jolkkonen, Jukka Pelkonen, Erkki Pesonen, Juho Pulkka, Jaana Rekolainen, Tomi Rosti, Olli Siirola and Matti Tolvanen.

The four faculties of the UEF offer teaching in nearly 100 major subjects and degree programs.

[25] This trend started in 2015, overlapping in time with the mandate of Jukka Mönkkönen as rector of the university.